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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23435794">Forged By Fire</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/demonsLOver/pseuds/demonsLOver'>demonsLOver</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort, Luffy Being Luffy, M/M, Nakamaship, Protective Roronoa Zoro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:41:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,022</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23435794</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/demonsLOver/pseuds/demonsLOver</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zoro was being forged. In and out the fire by reckless hands. Grinded into a new shape, hot and cold, steel became unique. And the clay pattern is gone, he was marked. He was reborn. </p>
<p>He didn't believe in God, but he believed his all in one man. He'll count that as the blessing itself.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Monkey D. Luffy &amp; Roronoa Zoro, Monkey D. Luffy/Roronoa Zoro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>224</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Forged By Fire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Just a drabble. Zoro/Luffy nakamaship or can be read as implied. Up to you. Because I can. I've been watching Man At Arms too much. Watch them! They make Mihawk's blade Yoru. That thing is fucking huge.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The quench was critical. Steam blanketed the physical constriction, blood boiled and paced. Strength at an ultimate high but to end in a fall. There could not be a sound but the forge dimmed and was threatened to be gone, Zoro had no choice but to place himself at a tyrant's mercy. Any pings and pops defined if he would survive. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Kuma. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ping. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Luffy, his pain. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Pops. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He died. He was sure of it for a blinding second but some miracle </span>
  <em>
    <span>no that's just Luffy</span>
  </em>
  <span> he survived. Unexpected but always welcomed, a resounding promise etched on his pride and honor told him clearly, and asked of him, what he was fighting for. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Kuina. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He drowned in his own blood, set ablaze then cooled too quickly. He survived the quench, just barely. Zoro never regretted his sacrifice and never will. If death took him Luffy would be heartbroken but would understand. He was grateful to be given a worthy chance of performing his thank you even when it was never asked for in return. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knew, sooner or later, he would go back into the fire. The clay was laid, and that smile seemed thankful, brilliant, and impulsive as ever. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a cruel sense of the world that it would consider his captain too inexperienced, too </span>
  <em>
    <span>warm</span>
  </em>
  <span>, too </span>
  <em>
    <span>soft,</span>
  </em>
  <span> too</span>
  <em>
    <span> caring, too happy</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be alone to shape the lives of his crew. The world saw it fit that flame must be extinguished as it didn't glow brightly enough in the first place. Zoro knew better, the world was starting to fear what strength one spark of fire could ignite as it kept happening so many times for it could no longer be ignored. Zoro was taken out of the forge, pulled too early and painfully. Steel wasn't hot enough to do anything but break. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanded by yellow light was excruciatingly shameful. Steel was creaking and groaning at the pressure. Zoro gritted as that scream was never — </span>
  <em>
    <span>how little of strength he gained</span>
  </em>
  <span>— meant to be yelled with horror and pleaded for their escape. He was bent when the fires roared to bring him back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He woke up with baboons, warriors that copied, that challenged him day after day. He needs to get back. It was too early to be taken away from the flames. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another blade, black steel —smooth, honorable, powerful— appeared days later. He readied for a fight he could not win but black steel did not want to clash, only humming in thought and realization. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zoro almost begged Mihawk to end his life. As the greatest swordsman walked away it was too late to ask. Water poured on steel, unrefined and bent, from a promise that couldn't be kept. He deserved it as he wasn't there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luffy saw his brother die before his eyes. In a bloody war where his captain should never be but was. His captain was always, no matter the situation, there for them. Zoro was not there when Luffy needed him the most. All of them failed failure after failure. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sabaody. Marineford. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ace. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He allowed his pain to chip the clay too early. Water fell in anger, as drops, and on steel. He needed to be stronger. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He became a demon blade. The mark showed it but would the fire accept the change? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was thrown into fire without a thought. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luffy was aware of how he was more monster than man. More bloodthirsty, more vicious but when he smiled —he fought and earned the right to— it was the sun in all its warmth and danger. Blindingly bright that he gladly bears with any tackle and embrace his captain gives. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He felt honored when the pattern proved his place on Luffy's right side. It was a curve, from the tip to the tsuba —the hilt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It reflected a smile. One that faced him everyday. He would continue to change. Mandible or indestructible as time continued. Only for the man that showed there is more than a goal without ever saying a word. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Zoro?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Curious brown eyes looked down at him. Luffy crouched at his side with a small smile. The gentle winds blew strands of dark hair against the rim of his straw hat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I nap with you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zoro opened his kimono on his left, Luffy pressed against his side. His head finding that curve between neck and shoulder and settling with a sigh. Zoro wrapped his captain closer as he pulled on his kimono and left his arm crossed over Luffy’s back. Effectively trapping Luffy against his skin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Here and now, no one would be capable of hurting his captain. No one.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Zoro’s warm.” Luffy muttered. Burying his face further. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sleep, Luffy.” Knowing he was safe as he could be, Luffy relaxed. Muscles letting go and his breathing slowed down. Zoro felt pride at that. “I have you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zoro stared up at the blue sky, back against green grass, and held the only blessing in his life. The soft snores against his skin told Luffy was dead asleep. Deeper than he was in his bunk at night. More than ready to chase any nightmares that he only knew about, a privilege he would never exploit. But he knew nothing would bother his captain, not nightmares nor his friends. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His aura cold winds pushing them back. Give him and Luffy his space and time. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t you dare wake him.</span>
  </em>
  <span> They don’t.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He felt no sympathy as his family wished they had privy to this, this exclusive tie of two, but this was something between Luffy and him. From the beginning it started, he didn’t know when but they know where they always are. In body, mind, and soul, and Zoro refused to be separated from that again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then again, he’s steel. He melts under intense heat. The only furnace hot enough that can even come close on making him bend was the sun. Bright, dangerous, warm. Easily give you a new life and quickly can come to take it away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’ll bear the heat and its heart as long as it will have him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thus, he closes his eye, and protects. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
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